Operating illuminator



Aug. 12, 1969 M. MARTINEZ 3,461,282

OPERATING ILLUMINATOR Filed Aug. 19, 1966 mvmon MIGUEL MARTINEZ BY Maw/v ATTORNEY 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Aug. 12, 1969 M. MARTINEZ OPERATING ILLUMINATOR Filed Aug. 19, 1966 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 oooboooooo mvmox MIGUEL MARTINEZ Aug. 12, 1969 M. MARTINEZ OPERATING ILLUMINATOB 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Aug. 19. 1966 mvsmoa MIGUEL MARTINEZ BY Marlin/f 142% o 1 8 f El ow fi J MJ P 1 ATTORNEY Apg. 12, 1969 M. MARTINI-:2 3,

. OPERATING ILLUMINATOR Filed Afig. 19, 1966 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR MIGUE' L MARTINEZ BY Mal Q0 2M ATTORNEY United States Patent US. Cl. 24041.15 4 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A spot light especially designed for operating room use. A high intensity lamp is enclosed in a force-ventilated housing along with condenser lenses. For compactness the fan motor is situated at the rear and on-axis with the light beam. A concave mirror is mounted on the shaft of the motor and re-directs rearward light in a forwardly direction. A cylindrical rod of polished Lucite pipes the light for a considerable distance beyond the front of the illuminator to bring the light effectively close to the operating field to prevent any obstruction from shadowing it and to act as a convenient handle by which to direct the beam as desired by moving the lamp house on its mount as a unit and to advance and retard the rod by rotating it.

This invention relates generally to illumination devices, and more particularly it pertains to a projector of the surgical or dental spot light type.

In the past, overhead lights used by doctors during operations usually have been of a large aperture type. In addition to not being accurately adjustable, they gave off a large cone of radiant heat which encompassed the operating personnel as well as the patient. For illuminating small areas, such general high intensity illumination is not necessary and often undesirable and blinding.

Accordingly, it is a principal object of this invention to provide an improved high intensity lamp of the semi-fixed type which provides illumination solely at a directed spot.

Another object of this invention is to provide a spot light whose beam cannot be inadvertently interrupted.

A further object of this invention is to provide a beam guide spot light which is positionable by a beam guide means for optimum illumination of an area.

Other objects and attendant advantages of this invention will become more readily apparent and understood from the following detailed specification and accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating the improved lamp of this invention;

FIG. 2 is a detail perspective depiction of the lens and light box portion of the lamp of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a side elevation of the lamp of FIG. 1 with the cover vertically sectioned to show interior arrangement;

FIG. 4 is a longitudinal section taken on line 44 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a forwardly viewed transverse section taken on line 55 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a rearwardly viewed transverse section taken on line 6-6 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 7 is a forwardly viewed transverse section 7-7 of FIG. 4; and

FIG. 8 is a rearwardly viewed transverse section 8-8 of FIG. 4.

Referring now to FIGS. 1, 4, 6 and 7 of the drawings, reference numeral 10 indicates generally an improved lamp embodying features of this invention. This lamp 10 consists generally of a housing base 12 having a thick cross beam 14 from which a threaded post 16 extends downwardly to serve as a pivot mount. The post 16 enice gages with a parallel arm system 18 of the well-known lamp positioning type which remains wherever it is shifted.

A lens and light box 20, shown best in FIG. 2, is secured within the housing base 12 and it has its own sidewalls 22, a lower front cross member 24 and rear frame 26. Cooling fins 28 and 30 are cast into the sides and top, respectively, of this box 20.

A plurality of apertures 32 are drilled through the sidewalls 22 to serve as air passages, and near the rear a pair of opposing slots 34 are provided for clearance for the blades of a fan.

The box 20 has mounting flanges 36 on the sides in continuation with the front cross member 24 and these flanges are secured by screws 42 to mounting flanges 40 which extend inwardly from the lower sidewalls 38 of the housing base 12 as best shown in FIG. 5.

Depending rear portions 44 of the sidewalls 22, provide mounting lugs 46 for a lamp receptacle 48 which is secured by screws 50 as depicted in FIG. 6. Reference 52 shows an electric cord and plug which connects to the receptacle 48 to energize the high intensity concentrated filament bulb 54.

FIG. 4 shows the arrangement of lenses 56, 58 and 60. Lenses 56 and 58 are held at the top by a rib 62 which extends fore and aft under the top cooling fins 30. At the bottom, these lenses 56 and 58 are secured by a bracket 64 (also shown in FIG. 6).

Bracket 64 has end tabs 66 which secure it to the sidewalls 22 by screws 68 while a centrally formed tab 70 supports the lens 56 upwardly in grooved side support ribs 72 and at the top in notch 74 of rib 62.

A pair of spaced notched tabs 76 are formed in the forward portion of bracket 64 and these, aided by an asbestos pad 71, urge lens 58 upwardly in grooves 78 of sidewalls 22 to an upper receiving notch 80 in the rib 62.

The lens 60 has an apertured frame 82 and is mounted thereon by an apertured retainer plate 84 having lens retaining tabs 88. Rivets 86, visible in FIG. 5 only, secure frame 82 to plate 84 while formed side flanges and screws 92 secure the latter to the sidewalls 22.

The rear end of the lamp assembly 10 is occupied by a fan motor 94. This motor 94 is secured by screws 98 to mounting tabs 96 on the rear frame 26.

As shown in FIG. 3, a casing 100 having ventilating apertures 102 covers the motor 94. Securing means for this casing 100 consist of detent fingers 104 in its sidewall which grasp the forward edge of the motor field stack. Leads 106, as shown in FIG. 4, connect the motor 94 to the receptacle 48.

The fan 108 mounted on the shaft of motor 94 has a concave light gathering mirror 110 secured on its axis. Since the fan 108 is located directly behind the bulb 54, it serves to gather and redirect forwardly the rear rays of light.

Through the apertured front wall 112 of the housing base 12 a light conducting rod 114 of lucite extends for a considerable distance as required. This rod 114 is polished overall including the ends. One end, 116 is machined to convex shape, in the manner of a lens. Near the opposite end, the rod 114 is secured in a threaded sleeve 118.

A spring clip 120 fastened to the inside of the frontwall 112 urges the sleeve 118 upward against the contoured ends of spaced ribs 124, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, in a three-line suspension. A pin 122 in the clip 120 engages the threaded sleeve 118 to cause axial translation when the latter is rotated.

The housing base 12 is closed by a cover 126 secured thereto by hinges 128 as best shown in FIGS. 3, 4, and

3 8. The forward end of cover 126 is held by a notched tongue 132 which engages a spring biased latch 130 in the top of housing base 12.

Apertures 134 and 138 provided in sidewalls 136 and topwall 14-0, respectively, serve to ventilate the interior of the lamp 10, the hot air being ejected rearwardly by the fan 108 through the apertures 102 in casing 100.

It will be noted that the extended light piping rod 114 cannot be side obstructed by the sleeve of an operator nor by surgical drapes. It confines the light within a small cross section without broadcasting.

Further, the rod 114 serves as a convenient, cool, electrically insulated handle for positioning the light as required. Several lamps may be used to converge on a single spot of interest if desired.

Obviously many modifications and variations of the present invention are possible in light of the above teachings. It is, therefore, to be understood that within the scope of the appended claims the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described.

What is claimed is:

1. An adjustable, remote position, operating-room illuminator, comprising, a frame, a lamp, a fan for cooling said lamp, an optical element positioned on one side of said lamp, a concave mirror positioned on the opposite side of said lamp for projecting light received from said lamp forwardly along an axis through said optical element, said concave mirror being mounted on said fan for rotation therewith, with said mirror being uniformly exposed for heating and cooling, a rotatable helix attached to said frame in forward axial alignment with said lamp and said mirror, a cooperating elongate optical rod rigidly afiixed in said rotatable helix and adapted to transmit the projected light internally of said rod to a position remote from said frame, and a dirigible illuminator-mount coupled to said frame, and resistant to rotation about said axis, whereby said cooperating elongate optical rod is adapted to serve as a handle for remotely directing said illuminator and for remotely rotating said helix in said frame to advance and retract said rod along the said axis.

2. An illuminator as recited in claim 1, wherein said cooperating elongate optical rod is a unitary rod of splinter-resistant plastic.

3. An illuminator as recited in claim 1, wherein one end of said cooperating elongate optical rod is lenticular, for modification of illumination at the remote location.

4. An adjustable, remote position, operating-room illuminator, comprising, a frame, a lamp, a fan for cooling said lamp positioned on one side thereof, an optical system consisting of a plurality of lenses positioned on the opposite side of said lamp, a concave mirror positioned on said one side of said lamp for gathering the light received from said lamp and projecting said light forwardly along an axis through said optical system to parallelize said projected light received from said concave mirror, said concave mirror being axially arranged with respect to said fan, lamp, and optical system and being uniformly exposed for heating and cooling, a cooperating elongate optical unitary light conducting rod removably afiixed to said frame and adapted to transmit the projected light from said optical system internally of said rod to a position remote from said frame, said light conducting rod being of convex lens shape at its end remote from said frame, and a dirigible illuminator-mount coupled to said frame and resistant to rotation about said axis, said illuminator-mount being of a parallel arm type, whereby said cooperating elongate optical rod is adapted to serve as a handle for remotely directing said illuminator.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,340,530 2/1944 Hefner 2401 2,468,565 4/1949 Marcus et al. 88-28 2,913,572 12/1959 Fritzlen 24010.1 3,112,075 11/1963 Sparks 24047 3,377,917 4/1968 Mulch 8828 1,965,865 7/1934 Thompson 2401 X 2,344,263 3/1944 Perkins 24041.3 X 2,914,660 11/1959 Wrigglesworth 24047X 3,187,173 6/1965 Foley et al. 24047 3,188,460 6/1965 Thorsen et al. 24052 3,278,738 10/1966 Clark 2401 X 3,299,884 1/1967 Moore et al. 24047 NORTON ANSHER, Primary Examiner WAYNE A. SIVERTSON, Assistant Examiner 

